Performance Prediction of Anchors in SFRC using Minimally Invasive and Non-Destructive Techniques

Fastenings are crucial for the upgrade of existing structures, by either enhancing structural components or modernising and expanding structures and structural systems. Whilst concrete is prevailing in the existing building stock, new types of concrete composites are increasingly used to improve the sustainability and overall structural performance of built assets. The addition of short dispersed fibres is a material technology with several applications. This paper addresses the synergy of fastening elements, introducing localised loads in concrete substrates, and of fibres, particularly in terms of the fibre orientation and density in the load application area, which is a significant quality aspect. The possibility to forecast this synergy based on non-destructive or minimally invasive testing methods is an efficient tool to increase confidence in the design load-bearing performance of the anchorages. Initially, previous literature and own investigations on such techniques are presented. Furthermore, a methodology is presented on associating such information to predict a single anchor's resistance on the basis of sophisticated non-linear analyses and testing with engineered fibres alignments.